~ Richard A. Davis blogging

Category Archives: community

How about the Christian socialist and Anglican theologian Charles Gore?

Read what he says in his booklet “The Social Doctrine of the Sermon on the Mount” (1904)

We should do again what was done in the early monastic movement, as it is represented in St. Basil’s rule. We should draw together to centres, both in town and country, where men can frankly start afresh and live openly the common life of the first Christians. This can, of course, be most easily done in the case of those who are deliberately celibate. There is much talk of brotherhoods. Forgive the expression of an ideal. I desire to see formed — not in interference with existing methods — a community of celibate men, living simply, without other life-vows than those of their baptism or (if priests) of their priesthood, the life of the first Christians : a life of combined labour, according to different gifts, on a strongly developed background of prayer and meditation, and with real community of goods, which, of course, would cease in the case of any persons who might leave the community. The details are not difficult to arrange. I have some experience such as warrants a belief that such an ideal may become real. Such a community, “continuing steadfastly in the apostolic doctrine and fellowship, the breaking of the bread and the prayers, and having all things common,” — such a community would surely be calculated to make men see how holy and happy a thing is Christian life when it can free itself from entanglements and begin again au pied de la lettre.

I have been speaking of the unmarried, and I have said that the literal reproduction of the earliest Christian
community-life is easiest in their case. But the same ideal needs application to married life also. I do not see why such an ideal as the Moravians have, in fact, realized, of companies of married people living by a common rule, should not be of immense power among ourselves. I have spoken of what lies within my own experience, but the principle is applicable to laity as to clergy, and to married as to single.